Medical imaging is used in the most varied diagnostic problems in order to support the diagnosis for a patient. It is true that diagnostically relevant salient features can be detected by an experienced user in the recorded image data, but with users who are still inexperienced there is the risk of such salient features being overlooked because of an image quality that is not always optimal. Known for the purpose of ameliorating this problem are apparatuses with the aid of which it is possible for salient features in the recorded image data to be detected automatically. These apparatuses generally comprise a data processing station having a memory for the image data on which the user can start a CAD application (CAD: Computer Aided Detection). Thus, for example, applications are known for automatically detecting lesions in the anatomical regions of thorax, lung and large intestine. Further known applications concern the liver, the bones and the brain.
Once the image data to be evaluated are to hand, the corresponding application is started either automatically or by an input from the user. Different examination modules with the different applications are available for the different diagnostic problems: for example an application for automatically detecting pulmonary nodules in pulmonary diagnostics, or an application for automatically detecting mammary nodules in the case of mammary diagnostics. Other anatomical regions that can also be acquired in diagnostic imaging, or other diagnostic problems are not taken into account in the automatic detection.